All That I'm Living For
by asilentmurder
Summary: Kissing Derek was like finding his own personal ambrosia, a warm silky sensation coating every fiber of his being and wrapping him in paradise. He never wanted it to stop.


Stiles ran through the forest, breath coming out in pants as his legs moved faster than he could have willed them to. He heard the beast crash through the trees behind him and he stumbled, tripping on an overturned tree trunk. Damn it, he thought to himself, foiled by his own clumsiness- again. He scrambled to right himself, crawling backwards slowly as the heaving beast caught up to him. It roared, teeth bared and eyes glistening, pulling itself upward out of its running stance.

Shit. Stiles was done for. He thought of his dad, apologizing internally for stealing his hash browns at breakfast and giving him a fruit cup instead. The scowl that earned him as he walked out the door for school was the last thing he remembers about his dad, and now he's going to die without hearing him laugh at his son's awkward goofiness again.

The beast snarled, bearing his teeth at Stiles. Briefly, Stiles wondered what this thing was, aside from a murderous monster that had rendered Scott completely unconscious only moments before. Was it a Grizzly bear? It certainly had the size, but it moved more like a cat or mountain lion, and it had a ruffled neck of sorts. How odd. Stiles really shouldn't be surprised by anything supernatural anymore, but he still is only seventeen and naturally curious.

"God, if you're going to eat me, can you just do it quickly? I don't want you to get interrupted before I'm completely dead and then I'm left lying in agony, watching while you decimate my friends," Stiles babbled when the beast dropped down on all fours to circle him. It huffed out a burst of air, and Stiles wondered if it was laughing at him. The mocking glint in its eyes told him it was. Stiles shuffled back an inch or so, causing the beast to pad closer to him, opening its mouth and growling. Stiles wanted to go back to all those times he told Derek to save the growling act for a real animal. He'd give anything to have Derek growling at him instead of this abhorrent creature.

A deeper growl resounded in the forest around them, causing the monster to snap his head around, away from the leg it had been dangerously close to biting. A dark blur shot out from the trees to Stiles' left and took down the monster in a tangle of bellowing howls and snarls. When the figures separated, Stiles' pulse jumped.

Derek.

The werewolf glanced at him, tossing his head forward in command. _Run_. The beast lunged at Derek as Stiles turned. His hands dug into the forest floor as he got up, running away from the sounds of ripping flesh and the rest of Derek's pack joining the fight.

Stiles ran. He ran as fast as he could, past the clearing where he and Scott go to drink, past the creek that led to the perfect lake to swim in, all the way to where his Jeep was parked on the side of the main road. He stopped at the door, breathing heavily as he fumbled for his keys. When he started the car, he had no idea where he should go. He needed to know that Scott was okay and that the pack made it out unharmed. He didn't even realize he drove to Derek's until he was already pulling up the road.

He waited over an hour, picking at the dirt on his clothes and biting his nails in anticipation. When Derek finally broke through the tree line, he looked exhausted, his clothes dirty and his skin pale. He looked instantly at ease when he noticed Stiles sitting on the porch stairs though.

"Jesus, Derek," Stiles jumped up and rushed over to support Derek, wrapping the Alpha's arm around his neck and gripping his side, "I got ya buddy. Come on."

Derek remained quiet as they trudged up to the house and up the stairs. Derek used his free hand to open the front door, and Stiles deposited him onto the stairs once they were inside.

"Thanks," Derek huffed out quietly, clutching his side as he took a deep breath. He tried to bat Stiles' hands away when he reached for his tank, pulling it up to reveal a seeping bite wound.

"You need to clean that," Stiles told him when he scowled. "Derek, I'm serious. It will heal faster if you let me clean it." His voice was strained, like he was wound too tight and if Derek said no he would completely shatter. So Derek just nodded.

Stiles walked out the open front door, and Derek watched in confusion as he went down to his Jeep and pulled a large first aid kit from the back. When he came back, Derek rolled his eyes dramatically, earning him a glare from the human.

"I had to start carrying this when I realized I was going to get dragged into every episode of All My Werewolves, the Soap Opera that has become my life. Take off your shirt." He knelt in front of Derek, setting down the first aid kit on the stair next to Derek. He pulled out a few things as Derek shed his filthy tank. They were silent as Stiles poured some peroxide on the wound and started to wipe away the blood and grime.

When Derek winced, Stiles looked up at him, unsure if he should continue. "No, it's okay, you can continue." Derek gritted, breath hitching when Stiles' free hand pressed against his chest to stabilize himself.

"Did you..." Stiles bit his lip, not exactly knowing how to ask the question. Derek just closed his eyes and nodded.

"Dead. Isaac and Jackson are burning the body."

Relieved, Stiles continued. "Is everyone okay?

"Erica broke a leg and Boyd lost a tooth, but everyone's alive. We'll be alright by tomorrow." Derek looked straight at Stiles when he spoke, so that Stiles understood he was included. Stiles just swallowed and nodded. He never knew what to say or how to make his heart not flutter when Derek fixed that look on him.

Derek ran a hand up Stiles' arm softly, causing Stiles to stop moving, hands still pressed against Derek's skin. "Derek-"

"I heard you." Derek said softly, rubbing his hand back down Stiles' arm as the boy just stared at him. "I heard you ask it for a swift death. I've never been so angry in my life." It came out as a growl against Derek's wishes. He abruptly stopped talking, hanging his head and sighing.

Stiles pulled his hands away from Derek slowly, setting down the gauze in one before shuffling forward closer to Derek. He raised a hand to the Alpha's cheek, tilting his head up to look him in the eye. "You saved me."

His eyes searched Derek's, waiting as Derek looked back at him, a myriad of emotions playing in his eyes. Derek cared about Stiles, worried about Stiles.

"I was too slow. I should have been faster; you never should have been in danger like that." Derek choked, leaning into the hand still on his face. "If I didn't get there-"

"But you did. You saved me. Again," he smiled, because Derek was always saving him, and he was always saving Derek. It's what they did.

Derek sighed, finally giving in and grabbing Stiles to pull him close. Stiles wasn't expecting the hug, but he smiled and wrapped his arms around Derek, leaning his forehead down on Derek's shoulder. They sat like that for a few minutes, reveling in the comfort of each other. When Derek's grip loosened and Stiles pulled back enough to look at him, he noticed the wound was already threading closed, as if Derek's tension had prevented the healing. Probably did- it wouldn't surprise Stiles at all.

"Hey, look at that, you're already healing." He said, noticing they both still had their arms around each other. He made no effort to move them just yet, he wanted to enjoy this softer, more vulnerable side of Derek. No one else ever got to see it, and this is the most Stiles himself had ever seen it.

Derek glanced down, smiling a little. "Yeah, I guess I owe nurse Stilinski a thank you."

Stiles made a face, trying to decide whether he was offended or flattered. "Nurse Stilinski? I guess that's a good thing then." He flashed a wide smile at Derek, who gave a decent attempt at a smile, then dropped his arms from Stiles.

Stiles ignored the feeling of his heart sinking at the loss of touch and cleared his throat, letting go of Derek to pack his first aid kit back up. He avoided Derek's eyes as he stood, holding the kit and awkwardly looking down at his feet.

"Well, uh, thanks-"

"Stiles," Derek interrupted, but Stiles just waved a hand at him.

"I should go home… My dad gets off work soon… I'll… See you later," he turned, still not looking at Derek, and walked out the still open door. He made it to the truck and had the back hatch open by the time Derek reached him. He put the kit down just before Derek spun him around quickly and slammed him against the side of the Jeep.

"Why are you just walking away?" Derek demanded, his eyes betraying the anger in his voice. Stiles stuttered, not quite able to say anything because Derek looked sad, he looked scared, and he looked lost, but very irritated.

"I just figured... I mean, I didn't want to bother you," Stiles finally managed to say, and Derek's grip on his shirt relaxed.

"You never bother me. Okay, sometimes you do, but that's different."

Stiles rolled his eyes, pushing back on Derek's shoulders, but he didn't budge. Instead, he leaned forward to capture Stiles' lips in his own. Stiles made a noise in surprise, but didn't stop him, so Derek kept kissing him. The hands on his shoulder tightened as Stiles reacted, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss.

Fireworks. Stars. Clouds parting and angels singing. No cheesy expression describing a passionate kiss came anywhere close to what Stiles felt when Derek kissed him. He moaned and slid his arms up to Derek's neck to thread his fingers in the hair that grew there. Derek groaned, shifting closer to Stiles, pressing him further into the side of the Jeep.

As far as first kisses go, this was definitely the best, at least in Stiles' humble opinion. I mean, sure, he'd kissed Lydia once before, an awkward stolen kiss at their winter formal a few months ago, but that was more out of curiosity for both of them. Lydia and Jackson were still together- would be forever, most likely- but even she briefly wondered what might have been. However, it was like kissing a family member. Just -ew.

Kissing Derek was like finding his own personal ambrosia, a warm silky sensation coating every fiber of his being and wrapping him in paradise. He never wanted it to stop.

When Derek pulled away, Stiles was gasping for breath but he still pouted. Derek chuckled, pressing a chaste kiss to the boy's swollen lips, leaning his forehead against Stiles' and sighing.

"Holy shit," Stiles finally panted.

"Yeah," Stiles watched Derek give a genuine grin as he said it, his hand on the Jeep next to Stiles' head.

Stiles simply stared. Derek let him. Finally, Stiles spoke. "So. You do find me attractive."

Derek groaned, his head rolling back when he pushed away from the Jeep.

"_Stiles,_" he warned, but Stiles was grinning, like stupid grinning.

"Dude, you like me. Just admit it. Not that you really have to. You just kissed me like you were drowning and I was your source of air."

Derek was suddenly there, pressing him back against the Jeep, his lips hovering over Stiles' neck, voice gruff in his ear when he spoke. "I am not drowning; I'm constantly burning and you're a blast of cold water." And then he was kissing Stiles again, lips crashing against each other almost violently.

It made Stiles dizzy, really, trying to process what Derek had said when teeth bit into his bottom lip, drawing out a soft whimper and making Stiles' knees a little weak. He let Derek pull him closer than he thought possible, dragging Stiles away from the Jeep and wrapping his arms around the boy's waist. Stiles' hands curled around Derek's biceps when he felt a probing tongue slip past his lips. There he went again, making soft noises of pleasure, completely defenseless against Derek's tongue tirade.

Fucking perfection. That's all Derek could think. He pushed deeper, harder, teeth knocking against Stiles' lips and taking purchase in the soft flesh. Derek was sure Stiles' head would have rolled back in pleasure if he wasn't being held so tightly, and the thought shot electric currents through Derek's body. He slowed down, his lips soothing tortured skin gently. Stiles was still, calm, quiet when Derek broke the kiss, holding Stiles tight. Derek rubbed his cheek against Stiles' delicately, and Stiles sighed blissfully, letting his head fall to Derek's shoulder.

"You make my head spin."

Derek just kissed Stiles' neck in response before he let go, stepping back and putting his hands in his pockets.

"That wasn't a bad thing, sourwolf. Quit scowling."

Derek scowled harder. "I'm only scowling because you need to go home before the Sherriff sends out a search party."

Stiles blushed. "Oh. Well, uh. I'll see you tomorrow." His voice rose at the end, as if he was unsure. Derek nodded.

"We'll be at the train station for most of the day. The betas need some down time to heal."

"I'll swing by after lacrosse practice."

Derek smiled, twice within an hour: a miracle, "I'll be waiting."


End file.
